Many Third and Fourth Generation (“4G”) wireless networks such as Evolution-Data Optimized (“EV-DO”) networks (and earlier generation networks) use a control channel to send signaling information such as pages, channel assignments, and SMS messages. The use of a control channel to send such information diminishes the bandwidth available to the system for main user data traffic. EV-DO networks use repetition to set both channel throughput and signaling reliability. For example, a 38.4 Kbps control channel rate is set by repeating all messages 16 times, while a 76.8 kbps rate is set by repeating all messages 8 times. One problem with this method is that all messages to all users are sent using the lowest common denominator rate. This control channel rate is selected to reliably reach even the most marginally equipped user; however, user equipment capability can very greatly.
For example, some user equipment can have a lower noise figure, be Multiple Inputs Multiple Outputs (“MIMO”) equipped, have a single antenna, and the like. Even with single or diversity antennas, the individual antenna gain can vary several decibels from one antenna type to another, and some mobiles might have higher or lower transmit capabilities than others. Therefore, using a single control channel rate message for all users unnecessarily consumes more system bandwidth than what is required.
Therefore a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.